Know Your Enemy
by BensBlueLady
Summary: Talia is an x5 that escaped the night Max set fire to the compound. On her return to Seattle, she meets Max and her friends and helps them in their fight against White and the familiars. But who exactly is Talia? Why is she so familiar to Max? and what do
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: All Dark Angel characters featured in this story belong to James Cameron and Fox except for additional X5's and transgenics which I created myself from scratch. I.e.…Talia, Tolka, Rav and Tank.

The young man appeared shy as he approached the dancing blond girl.

They had both been at the club for well over 2 hours now and although his eyes hadn't left her since she'd arrived, it was only now that he felt as though he had mustered up enough courage to attempt conversation.

As he ambled his way through the herd of dancing bodies the blonde girl stopped dancing and turned to face him. If it hadn't been somewhat near impossible for her to have heard his approach over the blasting music, the young man could have sworn she had.

'"Buy you a drink"? He shouted. The music instantly drowning out his words.

_Great. If I can't even hear me what hope is there that she will?  He thought.___

If the music had ruined any hopes of her hearing him the girl showed no signs of it. She just smiled, nodded and headed toward the bar.

"I'll have a beer," the young man told the bartender who nodded in approval.

"And what for the young lady"? The bartender asked, directing his question towards the blond girl and giving her a wink.

"Same as always Lou, scotch on the rocks, but I think this time you'd better make it a double since it's my last night in town"

Lou nodded and smiled again, but this time his smile was forlorn and as he turned to fix the drinks, the young man noticed that he looked upset.

_Just my luck Thought the young man._

_I'm here having drinks with the most beautiful girl I'm ever likely to lay eyes upon and it's her last night in town. Typical._

"So what's your name"? She asked, interrupting his self-pity.

"Uh…" the young man stumbled, as his mind worked over time to piece together what she had just said.

"Just so I know who to thank for the drink," she said, laughing softly and flashing him a perfect smile.

_God, you're beautiful the young man thought dreamily as he stared into her cool granite grey eyes, which twinkled as though lit with the lights of a thousand stars._

_Her hair's like spun gold…and those lips…. like the buds of the most beautiful rose…such utter perfection He continued to stare. Her physical beauty astounded him, rendering him dumb._

"You do have a name…don't you"? She asked still laughing

"Paul" he managed, slightly snapping out of his trance.

"Well Paul, thank you for the drink, and for your company, but I really must be on my…"

She continued to speak but Paul's mind rested on her last words

'_Thank you for your company'? ' __How odd. He thought, they couldn't have been sitting down for more than…_

Paul glanced up at the clock hung behind the car and was stunned to see that they had infact been sitting here for over 20 minutes.

He was even more stunned to find that once his eyes returned to the girl, she was already half way to the door.

"Wait" Paul called out desperately and maybe a little too loudly because Lou looked up from his conversation with another customer.

"At least let me know your name" Paul said.

The girl looked blank as she considered his request. Over this past year she had been to many clubs where she had met many men, but to none of them had she ever told her real name. She had always thought that her life kinda depended on her remaining a shadow, an enigma…but tonight…tonight was her last night in this city…by morning she would be long gone…she'd be back in the city she had grown up in…the safe city…what harm could it possibly do?

"Talia" she replied cautiously but with great relief.

"It was nice to meet you Talia" Paul said.

To hear her name being said nearly brought tears to her eyes.

_It's been so long Talia thought_

_No one's called me that since…since…. She could not bear to say __his name._

"So that's your name eh?" chuckled Lour overhearing her.

"I always did wonder what it was, you look after yourself kiddo you hear me"? He added

"No need to worry about me Lou" Talia replied and although she masked it well, Paul sensed great uneasiness in her voice.

"Goodbye again Paul" Talia said. And with that, she was gone.

_Beautiful girl, definitely troubled, but beautiful Paul thought as he returned to his unfinished beer, staring into it as though he expected it to answer the mystery that was Talia._

_She seemed so tense, almost as though she was hiding something Paul brushed the thought aside_

_What could a girl like that possibly have to hide?_


	2. Rav

A clouded mixture of water, dye and tears whirled around the drain before spilling down the pipes of Talia's shower.

She could not risk being recognised in Seattle, the hair dye was of utmost necessity, the tears however, were not and as soon as she felt she had cried them all, Talia scolded herself for being so weak.

She knew why she cried them, yet not why every time she cried them it seemed that they would never stop.

 _He's been gone a whole year and you're still crying like a baby she thought._

 _It shouldn't be this way…time heals all wounds…you should be over it by now, _

_He's gone and he's never coming back…it's over. Pull yourself together, you're a _

_Soldier, you should be stronger than this._

Talia stepped out of the shower and wrapped herself in a towel. She wiped the fogged up mirror and took a look at the job she had made of her hair.

Her once blond hair now burned bright red. It shone like fire.

_Fire…she thought as new tears welled in her eyes and blurred her vision._

_It was fire that took him from me all those months ago._

_I have to get a grip._

Talia wiped her eyes and made her way into her bedroom. Her bed was bare, the room empty except for the one bag which rested on the floor. She knelt down and took out a pair of jeans and a black leather jacket.

_Black, like my empty heart._

She tossed them aside and dug into the bag in search of a hairbrush. Her fingers groped something cool and hard. 

_Gun…_

Then moved on till they came to rest of a piece of paper.

_The Photo…_

She quickly ripped it out.

Staring at it she could hardly recognise the girl in it as herself. Back then she had looked more like a boy.

She kept her eyes trained on her own image for she had seen this picture many times before and knew the pain she would suffer if she allowed her eyes to wander…

"Rav" she muttered as her eyes fell on his face.

The golden hair, blizzard blue eyes, stern forehead and proud masculine jaw line….

Her mind drifted back to the night of the fire, the night Rav had died.

_Someone would pay dearly for what they have done she thought as she let the pain wash over her and through her, consuming her in it's endless vat. She thought of the numbness that would follow and longed for it to take her._


	3. Rescue

"Get on" Max shouted to the transgenic whose face resembled an anteater.

The transgenic stumbled as a bullet whirled past narrowly missing his head.

"This is getting old 452" White shouted as he took up the pursuit and began running towards the bike, gun raised. 

He wouldn't kill Max; not yet, he still needed her to find Ray.

 The hunted transgenic dodged another bullet before taking up the empty space behind Max on her Ninja. The two speed away leaving White gasping for breath and fuming with rage.

"Aggghhhh" he screamed as he unloaded the barrel of his gun in the direction they had headed. 

Click…. click…. click… 

Realising it was empty he threw it violently to the ground and stormed back to his car.

He would not forget this.

* * *

 "You should have seen her, she was amazing," the transgenic who Max had saved earlier said to Joshua.

"That's my little fella" Joshua said proudly.

3 hours had passed since the rescue and the transgenic hadn't stopped talking about it since he had arrived at Terminal City.

"Joshua" Max called out as she spotted him and the anteater faced transgenic.

"Max, Ant here's been telling me all about how you rescued him today" Joshua said with a smile.

Max turned and smiled at the transgenic.

"Ah, it was nothing"

"Just be sure you lay lower in the future, White's not the type to just give up and next time I may not be able to help you"

The transgenic nodded before leaving to retell his tale once again to someone else.

Max watched him go before she spoke again.

"Listen Joshua, I need you to do me a favour" she said

"Anything for my little fella" he replied

"Keep an eye on him" she nodded in the direction of Ant now retelling his tale to Alec who's face wore a look of such concentrated boredom it could have burnt a hole through steel.

"I will" Joshua promised, he sensed Max had more to say

"Also, if you see Logan, tell him I went to the Space Needle and that I'll be back later ok"


	4. Not Alone

Talia tossed and turned in her blanket as she tried in vain to get some sleep. After climbing to the top of the Space Needle to get a view of the city, she had decided it was a good place to hide out, at least till she could get her own place. No one would think to come up here. Here shed be safe…she was after all, incredibly high up.

As she threw thoughts back and forth, Talia began to drift off to sleep.

Images of warm summer days filled her mind.

_Tap…tap…_

Images of clear blue water

_Tap…tap…tap…_

Of laughter

_Tap…_

_What was that sound?_

_Tap…tap…tap………crreeeekk!!_

Talia sprung to her feet, the images dissolving and disappearing like a mirage.

She was no longer alone.

* * *

To say White was angry would be a great understatement. In truth the man was furious.

_She did it again. I must put an end to this and soon._

_The longer I wait the harder it'll be. _

_The stronger she will be._

_452 will not elude me again he thought as he continued his trip through the main streets of Seattle._

Since Max and the transgenics escape, White had taken to the streets in the hope he would find a stray transgenic or two. A good kill would cure his anger and restore his broken pride. In his mind he fantasised his revenge. Imagined finding her, forcing her to give back Ray – his son. After all, that was all that mattered. Once he had Ray he could be done with her.

That Bitch will pay 

_She will regret and curse the day she took my son._

_ I will see to that!_

Suddenly he caught sight of something off to the side. What he saw brought a smile to his lips.

_Looks like my luck is picking up White thought as he eased his car over to the curb and killed the engine._

The transgenic stopped and looked around. His eyes locked on White's car parked just up ahead. Fear surged through his body but stilled him from fleeing.

White unfastened his seat belt and stepped onto the sidewalk. Keeping his eyes on the transgenic he carelessly tossed his gun back onto the seat. 

_No need for that,, it'll just spoil the fun._

He shut the door and straightened his tie.

In an instant the trance was broken and the transgenic fled.

White's smile widened.

_Let him run he thought_

_I love a good chase._

As White took off after the terrified Transgenic he felt almost sorry for it. It had no idea what was coming to it.


	5. Old Friends

While the identity of the intruder was hidden mostly in shadow, from the height and stature of them, Talia could see it was a girl.

Unsure of what to do Talia remained very still. Using a claming technique she learnt as a child, she quickly slowed her breathing and heartbeat.

If the girl left her well alone she'd be ok. If not…well…who knows?

The girl, who's back was turned to Talia began to make her way outside, to the roof of the tower. 

_That's right, just go on outside Talia thought, half hoping half begging for a miracle._

The girl was now half way to the window, then, something happened that made 

Talia's heart, jump a beat.

The girl stopped as she caught sight of Talia's crumpled blanket.

She turned and walked over to it, then knelt down to get a closer look.

_Now Talia told herself and with lightning speed raced over to the intruder. She violently grabbed a handful of jacket and slammed the girl face first to the floor._

Surprised by the fact that the girl did not scream or pass out Talia's anxieties increased and she dropped her guard. 

The girl took up the opportunity and threw Talia off her. 

She crashed into the opposite wall.

_Such strength. Such speed. Talia thought_

_It could only mean one thing…_

As the girl spun around prepared for combat, the moon seemed to glow brighter.

The girl stepped into the light.

"453, you're alive" Talia said, baffled to see her fellow Manticorean.

* * *

_She thinks I'm Sam realised an equally baffled Max._

_Which means she must be…._

"I didn't realise it was you, if I had I would never have…"

"I'm not 453" Max blurted out cutting Talia off

"My designation's 452"

Talia's mouth opened but she made no sound.

Max saw the confusion in her face and knew it must be hard news to hear. She thought back to when she was back in Manticore and had just met Alec. Words couldn't describe how tough it was to meet someone who wore the face of your sibling.

Max struggled for words to ease the disappointment.

"Don't worry, she's safe"

"You know her then"? Talia asked dismayed

"Yeah…well. I kinda ran into her awhile back"

"Her name's Sam, she's happily married…she has a son"

Talia's face brightened. Max rubbed her jaw and took a seat by the window.

"I'm sorry," said Talia noting the rubbing.

She sat down next to Max.

Silence.

"My name's Talia" she said offering her hand to Max"

"Max" Max said, taking her hand and studying her face intently.

There was something oddly familiar about this girl that max couldn't quite finger.

"My designation's 211" Talia stated filing in the gap.

 Now it was Max's turn to be stunned.

_211…_

_Jondy's designation was 210…that meant that Talia must be…_

She swallowed as the realisation hit home.

_'Jondy's clone'._


	6. Terminal City

"There were three of us together that night…" Talia paused

"The night of the fire. Two others. Tolka, Rav and myself. We had just returned from an overseas mission in Spain…"

After leaving the space needle Max had offered to take Talia to Terminal City and Talia had jumped at the chance to be with her own kind. After all, she had travelled all this way.

Now Talia looked up into the faces of the transgenics who had gathered around to listen to her story. She saw the eagerness in their eyes and she knew they wanted a happy ending. So did she.

_It's a pity that some endings weren't so happy…that some endings were better left untold._

"When the fire took place everyone went crazy, sirens blasted, spotlights beamed, there were soldiers everywhere. Rav suggested we make a run for it, so we did. With all the commotion it was easy to just slip right out. Then we separated, I left Seattle that night and went to California, Rav headed to Florida, Tolka stayed here."

Talia's mind wandered back to that night, to what really happened when Manticore went up in flames. 

True, she, Tolka and Rav had just returned from a mission. But it had been her who suggested they attempt the escape. Then two guards had fired at Rav and both his legs were shot out. She and Tolka had taken out the guards, knocked them unconscious and left them to die. 

There was fire everywhere. So much smoke.

Talia hadn't been able to breathe, after knocking out the guard she had fallen in a heap struggling for air, her eyes watered. 

She thought that she would die. She heard Tolka and Rav shouting…arguing…she heard her name then gunfire. 

The next thing she knew she was outside the gate lying on the grass and Tolka holding her in his arms.

 He had just left Rav lying there and dragged her out.

Talia had always known that Tolka had loved her. She remembered looking back at Manticore, at the fire. Both Manticore and Rav had died that day and with him had gone a piece of Talia. 

Once she regained her strength she had left Tolka, he hadn't tried to stop her. He understood that she had to go. 

She would never forgive Tolka for what he did that night, nor would she ever forgive herself…. if only she knew who caused that fire.

"What made you come back here"? Asked a mole-like transgenic.

The question caught her off guard

"The news…. I wanted to help out here" 

_'Partly true' she thought _

_Although finding Tolka would be…well…interesting.' To say the least._

"Ok people back to work," said Alec who was among the listeners. 

Talia hadn't been in his unit at Manticore but he vaguely remembered seeing her around. Back then she had been blond. 

With Max busy talking to Logan on the computer Alec had taken the liberty in showing Talia around and give her the low-down on their situation with the public and the familiars. 

Talia found him very hospitable but wondered if there was not an ulterior motive to his kindness.

"Talia, come here, I want you to meet Logan" called Max

Talia stepped up beside Max and peered at the screen. 

She saw a man in his mid to late 30's with saggy light brown hair. He wore glasses and was unshaven.

"Hello" said Logan over the screen

"Hi" said Talia, suddenly wondering why Max would want her to meet this man.

_What was he?_

_ Transgenic? _

_Human? _

_And who was he? _

_Was he important?_

"Talia, Logan's been helping with the fight, he's human but you can trust him" Max explained.

"I see," said Talia, seriously doubting Max's use of the word '_Trust'_

"Logan, what news"? Asked Max

"Not a lot, however, another transgenic was killed last night, it never made the news…what's interesting about this case though is the way he was killed. The police reports say no human could have done it which has led them to believe…'

"Another transgenic" Talia finished.

"Well that must have them worried. A transgenic on the lose who's not afraid to kill, even his own kind" Max said

"If it was a transgenic," said Logan

"You think it was White"? Asked Max

"Well if it was then the guy's done his job well, the cops are set to increase the security in the city. Max, none of you will be able to go outside"

"Guess you can always count on Ames to ruin a good day" Max said sarcastically

"I don't understand," said Talia suddenly

"If this White is such a threat to you all, why do you let him live? It seems we have more than enough man power here to eradicate him once and for all"

"Girl's got a point," said Alec who had been silent up until now.

"Whites not the type of guy you can just go find and kill." Pointed out Max

"He usually finds us"

"But if we find White then we can take down the conclave, one by one. It makes sense Max," said Alec

"No, it's too dangerous" Max shot back

"Max, look around you" argued Alec

"Because of White and his band of snake worshipping freaks we are all locked up here in this…this…" 

"Oversized garage"? Offered Talia

"That's right, how many of these people here do you think wouldn't risk their lives for the chance of freedom, you're supposed to be the leader here Max. So lead"

"Hey" said Logan in protest to the tone Alec had taken to Max.

"Logan what do you think" asked Max obviously hurt by Alec's remark but trying not to show it.

"I'm with you on this one, it's too dangerous and…"

"Why am I not surprised?" said Alec. 

As he walked off Talia heard him mutter something under his breath, which sounded a lot like

 _"… not even one of us and yet he gets a say in the way we live our lives"_

"Excuse Me," said Talia, following Alec down the stairs.

Now, only Max and Logan remained.

"I'll have to get back to you," said Max as she closed the window.

She turned and saw Alec sorting out a bunch of salvaged guns and electrical equipment. 

That's what Alec did these days when he got mad. 

He tidied.

She looked around for Talia but failed to see her.


	7. Abduction

"Good work men, now load them up" came a voice up ahead.

Talia stopped and darted instinctively into the shadows of a nearby waste bin.

From her hiding place she peered out to see the commotion.

About 50 metres up ahead 3 men appeared to be loading two bodies into a large white can. A fourth man was on a cell phone.

Cautiously, Talia urged forward to hear what they were saying.

"Yeah Boss, we got them" said the man on the phone.

"The boys are loading them up now"

"Oh they're out all right…"

"Yes sir, both breathing…"

A pause.

"I see sir…" Another pause

"Will do sir" he hung up and turned to the men.

"Ok listen up, looks like we'll have to do a thorough sweep of the street, the boss believes there may be some sort of nest around which may contain…" He trailed off.

"May contain what captain Otto?" one-man asked

The man called Otto took a breath and a look of disgust crept over his face.

"Agent White believes it may contain eggs"

_Agent White. Talia gasped_

* * *

_Agent White? _

_Those men work for Agent White?_

The revelation left Talia utterly stunned and she wondered if fate had steered her course and caused her to end up here.

_ "Whites not the type of guy you can just go find and kill…He usually finds us"_

Max's words drifted through Talia's mind.

_If what Max said was true then this is my chance, I can get to White, but first I'll have to go through them… _

From the looks of things three of the men were armed, though only with tasers. 

The fourth however, the man named Otto, had a gun attached to a holster around his waist. 

Further study revealed he also had one at his ankle and possibly carried a knife. 

_A cautious one Talia thought as she continued to eye him._

Considering the precautions he took in well arming himself Talia decided that here was a man with experience in working with transgenics, the other men were just lackeys but this one probably knew White personally.

 He would be the man she would go after.

* * *

"Found 'em Boss" One of the men called out as he hauled a plastic crate over to the van.

Otto peered into the crate. What he saw brought the stale taste of his dinner back into his throat. His suit sleeved arm shot involuntarily toward his face shielding his mouth and nose.

"Disgusting" he uttered as he stared down at the eggs.

He stepped back to a distance he felt was safe of the stench and removed his 

Sleeve.

"Load it up, we're done here men" he did his best to compose himself.

Otto rose into the passenger seat at the front of the van and buckled in. 

The two comatose transgenics were safely secured in the back and guarded one man each. 

The eggs had been replaced into an icebox and were also secured safely by straps.

_Everything according to plan Thought Otto_

_Agent White should be pleased._

He suppressed a smile at the thought of the praise he would receive from his boss for this assignment. The fourth guard took up his place as driver and the van began to make its way out of the alley. 

_Now Talia thought and leaped onto the back of the vehicle. She knew she would have only seconds to take over the van, if they made it out onto the road things would get awfully difficult. _

Exerting all her strength she tore the back doors open and jumped inside.

She was instantly met by the nearest of the guards. 

He was poorly skilled and she took him down with ease. 

The second was both larger and faster. Yet still a poor and unworthy opponent. 

Using her speed she avoided every blow he managed to throw at her before tossing him outside and onto the road.

 He landed with a sickening thud began rolling head over ankles down the street.

_Now for the hard part she thought as she landed a powerful kick to the crate that separated the front passengers from the back.  It bent but held. She landed another kick and another. The third kick tore it from its bolts and it crashed into the heads of the driver and Otto. _

The van swerved dangerously to the side of the road. Talia leapt into the front and threw the driver out onto the street. She took over the wheel. 

Otto was bleeding but not badly hurt. He grabbed his gun and raised it to the hijacker. 

Talia grabbed his arm as he fired and the bullet shattered the front window. 

She slammed his hand into the steering wheel till he dropped the gun. Then she punched him hard in the face. Otto's world went black.

* * *

Talia swore under her breath as she pulled the van over and jumped out carrying Otto. Things hadn't turned out the way she had expected them to. The van was busted to shit and the gunshots would surely bring an audience.

Knowing that only mere seconds separated her from capture she ran to the nearest unoccupied car and smashed her fist through the window. She'd need a new vehicle if she was going to make it outta this alive. She tossed Otto in the back seat and headed back for the transgenics.

She found them in much the same condition as when she had left them. The only difference was that now, the transgenic she presumed to be male showed the slightest signs of life. The webbed fingers of his left hand were twitching.

Talia hauled him over her shoulder and stumbled back to the car. Once he was safely inside she went back for his mate.

With the car now fully loaded and a small crowd of no more than three, crowding around the crashed van -mostly street urchins; Talia started up the stolen car and headed for Terminal City.

She'd been driving for no more than 5 minutes when she heard a sound come from the back where the still unconscious Otto lay sleeping. A muffled but distinct beeping appeared to be coming from Otto's jacket. It was Otto's cell phone, and there was an incoming call. 

Talia, fearing that she'd be caught, had opted for the long drive home, taking only the backest of back roads. While this plan had so far worked like a charm, it now put them in the position of still being a good drive off from the safe haven of Terminal City. 

Wrestling with the decision of whether or not to answer the call Talia veered off the road and killed the engine; the headlights she had not used.

_'Do I answer it?'_

_'Can I answer it?'_

_'What if it's White? If Otto doesn't answer the call he may become suspicious and send a search party'_

_'They'll find me in no time'_

A few short rings later Talia had made her decision. She eased her body between the front seats and rolled Otto gently to the car floor. His throat emitted a soft groan as the air was knocked out of him. Wasting no more time, Talia's hand dived into his jacket and snatched up the phone. 

She received the call.

"What took you so long…" a voice began on the other end.

 It was safe to say the speaker was not at all impressed.

Even though she had never before met the man or heard him speak, Talia instinctively knew the caller to be none other than the man himself. 

Ames White.

She placed the phone quickly to the car speaker located above to her right and turned on the radio.

Static flooded the mouthpiece. She let it continue for several seconds before ending the call.


	8. Is that who I think it is

"Talia" Alec's voice was laden with both pleasure and relief as he caught sight of the fiery red head.

Talia, who seemed to be in the middle of a heated argument with two transgenic guards took no notice of him and as Alec neared the spot where they stood he saw that she was not alone.

 Behind Talia lay the seemingly dead bodies of two reptilian transgenics and a third who was hunched over and coughing up blood.

_'What the hell'? Alec thought as he struggled to catch some of the conversation._

"You should not have brought _him here" argued the larger of the two guards._

 Alec took note of the strong sense of distaste he applied to the word 'him'.

The large transgenic who Alec recognised as the one they all called 'Tank' thrust his arm towards the man on his hands and knees spitting blood.

"You didn't have to hit him! You could have killed him. He's with me and that should be enough. I'm taking him in and if you know what's good for you you'll shut up and get the hell out of my way" Talia shouted. It was obvious that she was not at all intimidated by Tanks vast mass.

"You think that just because you '_will' it that I'm just going to__ allow it? That's so typical of you damn X5's, you think you're so superior. Well here's a rude awakening for you princess, Manticore is gone and here you do _n_ot pull rank on me!" Tank raised his huge arm and waved a fist in Talia's face. _

"Pull rank on you"? Talia laughed

"What the hell are you anyway"?

Thinking things could fast turn ugly Alec rushed to the scene and placed himself between Tank and Talia.

"Woa!! Now that's enough!"

"Get out of my way, this is not your battle" argued Tank and taking a step forward.

"Look pal chill ok. She's not the enemy," Alec said firmly.

"Don't be so sure. She brought the enemy to us!" Growled Tank.

Just then Otto rolled over and for the first time Alec caught a glimpse of his face.

"Is that who I think it is?" Alec asked bewildered.

Talia's face softened. And with eyes still fixed on Tank she replied.

"That depends who you think it is," she breathed, finally switching her gaze to Alec.

"I know him. He works for White" Alec filled in dimly.

Talia's face shot him a cruel look of 'Gee ya think'?

"Alec. White"? Joshua said with a growl. 

Up until now he had been a mere observer. Now, at the mention of White's named he stepped up beside Alec prepared for a battle.

"Easy there big guy" Alec said placing a hand on Joshua's chest in an effort to calm him.

"Is he ok"? Alec asked Talia.

"I'd say he's seen better days. But with any luck he'll live" Talia's eyes resumed fixture on Tank. Her face wore a look of unrefuted hatred.

"Max will want to know about this," said Alec thoughtfully.

"He's human, he can't come in" Said Tank, his voice rising once more.

"Sorry, Tank but you'll have to let this one go" 

The transgenic narrowed his eyes but it was obvious he respected Alec and trusted his judgement. He took a step back and nodded.

"What about them"? Alec asked studying the other two bodies.

'Transgenics" Talia answered, rudely turning her back to Tank.

"Otto had them captive"

Alec cast Talia a look of awe. She could see he was thoroughly impressed.

Realising he was staring, Alec broke eye contact and rubbed his hands together as he often did before taking care of business.

"Ok, Josh, Siege, Toke" he said calling out several transgenics from the heard.

"You guys take these two inside and make them comfortable" 

He gave Talia a wicked grin as he knelt down to raise Otto to his feet. Otto's legs wobbled, threatening to give way beneath him.

"Talia, can you give me a hand here"? He asked as he tried again to raise Otto without hurting him.

"In a minute" came her inanimate reply.

With superhuman speed she whirled and issued a powerful kick to Tank's chest.

The blow was both unexpected and unprovoked. It launched Tank through the air and smack into the concrete wall.

"That's for hitting my prisoner." Talia said plainly.  


	9. Snakes in the sky

"Asech, retiren asech" White chanted, applying brief pause after each word.

"Contorez a lien reo lumen" he finished and took a step back from the circle of familiars who had gathered in worship of the stars.

For over a thousand years they had waited. The familiars, the strong, had awaited their chance to inherit and rule the earth. Now, that time was drawing near and only one thing stood in their way.

Max.

X5-452. The one whose power is hidden. The one who will lead the weak and prevent the coming. Destroying the Familiars one chance.

The pressure on White to eliminate her escalated with each hour, each minute, each _second that passed. And now, as he finished his part in the ritual and made his way back to his car a man and a woman approached him. Familiars of he highest order._

"Fenos tol" they greeted him.

"Fenos tol" he replied, bowing his head.

"So far you have failed us brother" spoke the woman

"You have allowed 452 to live longer than this conclave would prefer. What have you to say in you defence"?

"452 is _unmeasurably good at pulling nearly every trick in the book to elude and escape me" he spoke bitterly_

"But I assure you, her time is up. There _are no tricks left. No moves for her to make. She's a cornered rat in a basement." White finished and smiled._

"Who are you trying to convince here brother"? The woman asked. 

"Us? Or yourself." Her eye muscles tensed to form a piercing gaze.

If the woman's eyes or words intimidated White at all, he showed no sign of it. If anything, her doubt and suspicion appeared to anger him.

"You, _will, have her" White said, pausing again for effect._

 " I _assure you.__" _

"We had better" chimed the man

"Already there are some among us who believe we should stand for your failures no more"

"But" cut in the woman, her eyes returning to normal.

"We have hope that it will not come to that"

"You will remember your father and the shame he brought upon himself and this conclave," said the man.

"That, shame" White bit off.

"Belongs to my father and should rest with _his name. And __I will go to any lengths necessary to see to it that it does"_

"Very good. See that you do" spoke the woman

"Fenos tol brother" they said, turning and heading back to the circle.

"Fenos tol" he replied.

White thrust open his car door with such strength he near ripped it from its hinges.

_'So, the conclave plans to cast me out should I fail again' he thought. His rage, once again threatened to reach boiling point._

_'Well we'll see about that. I will find that little bitch and then they will praise me.'_

_'Then…I will rule'_

A sadistic smile crossed White's face, curving the corners of his mouth. He started the engine and sailed down the road. He was so caught up in his grand delusions that he didn't even notice the star filled sky, which clearly depicted the constellation of a snake like some 3 year olds join the dots book. None of that mattered now. Finding Max was all there was.


	10. Joshua's

When Alec had come to her less than an hour ago carrying a badly roughed up Otto, Max had had to do a double take.

When she had later learned that Talia had single handedly taken down 3 of White's trained operatives, rescued two captured transgenics and managed to make it back to Terminal City safe and with not a scratch on her _and with White's transgenic hunting lackey Otto, she had been stunned to silence. Knowing that Otto wouldn't live long in Terminal City due to the chemical and radiation leaks, Max, along with Alec and Talia had taken him to Joshua's old place back in town, the one Logan now occupied. _

While she was still stunned, Max, unlike Alec was not impressed with Talia at all. And as soon as they had all safely piled into Joshua's she made sure she let her know it.****

"Can I talk to you for a minute"? She asked, urging Talia to take a step out into the next room so Otto would not be able to hear. 

"If you're going to thank me," said Talia with a smile, clearly misinterpreting Max's intentions.

"Thank you"? Max broke in, voice raised.

"And why the hell would I thank you? Do you have any idea what you've done? What kind of attention you've now drawn to us"?

Talia narrowed her eyes. It was clear that she had not intended to be met with Max's ill temper. Not after what she had done. Max should be grateful, capturing Otto meant so many good things for them all. Why couldn't Max see that?

Before Talia could answer another voice joined the conversation.

"Let me tell you a little about what she's done," said the voice.

"Now, I don't want to fight you on this one Max, but thanks to Talia, what we've got sitting in there…" he swung his arm in the direction of the living room which held Otto.

"That's our golden ticket! Our _one chance to get to White" _

Hearing Alec's voice infuriated Max even more. This was the second time that he'd stuck up for Talia.

"You can bet he has the answers to a lot of the questions you fall asleep with at night" he added.

"Don't presume to know what goes on inside my head Alec" Max said through gritted teeth. She knew it wouldn't be long before she snapped.

"But Max the guy's bound to know stuff that can help us! Like where white's been keeping the transgenics he's been picking off the streets! What he plans to do with them! You can't say that you wouldn't want to know that!" Alec's voice was raised but he didn't come across as being angry. He was pleading with her. He wanted her to be on side with him on this one that much was obvious.

"Yeah and you can bet information like that will have it's price. Amidst your delusional ramblings I bet you never stopped to think about that did ya?" 

"Max's right" said Logan.

He had entered the hall unnoticed and after hearing Alec tear into Max was determined to back her up.

"A man like Otto's bound to be missed. I bet there's a whole search team looking for him right now as we speak" he continued.

Max turned towards Logan and her face wore a look of deep worry.

"What do we do"? She said directing her question to Logan.

This act, innocent as it may have seemed at the time greatly affected Talia and it was almost as though a light was switched on inside her head.

_She turns to a human for the answer to our problems…Talia noted silently._

"No" Talia objected before Logan had a chance to get a word in.

"He's not one of us! Why does it matter what he thinks"? She snapped angrily

_"It __matters because__ some of us happen to think what he has to say is worth listening to," said Max blatantly _

_That's more than obvious Talia thought scornfully_

"And what others of us think doesn't appear to matter at all" Alec said placing just the right amount of sarcasm in his voice to get his point across.

Logan ignored Alec and started to speak

"Well, I think whatever you do you've got to keep in mind that _we're in a very awkward situation right now which means it's crucial that __we all keep a head here" Logan directed the first part of his lecture toward Alec which Talia thought extremely unfair._

_Why was Alec getting told off? Max had been the one who had misplaced both her reason and judgement when she had started this whole fiasco._

_We? Talia__ thought. Disgusted and offended by Logan's choice of words._

 "Secondly I think that _we've all gotta realise that every thing __we do and every move __we make is each gonna come with it's own set of consequences" Logan stopped talking and turned his eyes on Talia._

_This is unbelievable. He's expecting me to apologise._

_A human is talking down to me. Well this is definitely a low unlooked for._

_How dare Max subject me to such humiliation?_

Talia fought hard against the sweet temptation of violence. This was so unfair. She didn't have to take this. In less than 5 seconds she could have Logan dead on the floor that was how superior she was to him. He had no right to talk to her like this. But right now she was powerless. A cat that would kill the mouse if only it wasn't in a cage. Logan was the mouse and Max was his cage. Talia could do nothing but harbour her malicious feelings in secrecy and swallow both her anger and pride for the time being.

"I don't regret what I did tonight. But I guess you're right, I was a little rash in making decisions"

Alec was shocked. He had hoped Talia wouldn't fold so easily.

"Now, I know I'm the newbie here and that my methods of doing things may be a little different from all the _talking and __thinking and…__typing…" Talia smiled at her choice of words._

"That you guys usually do to solve your problems. So I apologise" 

Talia finished speaking and to everyone's surprise, she walked over and hugged Max.

"No hard feelings then"? She asked with a smile so sweet it could have made a desert out of chilli.


	11. Interrogation

After the argument Max had opted to take care of Otto. She had felt the need of calming down and gaining a new perspective on things. She bandaged every wound on Otto's body and checked his ribs front and back for any breaks. 

When she was satisfied that he had been properly taken care of she removed his gag and spoke to him for the first time.

"You should be safe here" 

"Those ah…bandages should make things a little more comfortable for you" she cast her eyes down to Otto's bare chest and to the bandages which were an unfriendly reminder of Tank's fury.

"Oh I guess I should be grateful then," Otto snapped.

"We don't expect you to be anything but cooperative," Talia said entering the room. After the argument she and Alec had taken time out from both her and Logan and gone into a separate room to talk. 

For some reason their growing friendship bothered Max and despite Talia's quick admittance of being wrong earlier, Max suspected she might still harbour ill feelings toward Logan. Alec was more impressionable that he'd have people think and his one weakness was a beautiful girl. Who knew what kind of ideas Talia could plant in his head…if she had the mind to. 

"There doesn't appear to be any breaks" Max continued, forcing aside her thoughts. 

"But you're pretty bruised and…."

"Yeah I get it…. thank you doctor" Otto continued sarcastically. It was clear that he was both afraid and pissed. A dangerous combination.

"I think we had better make it a rule that there's to be no talking from _you unless asked for" Said Alec looking over to the black out window where Max carried hushed conversation with Logan._

Alec leaned over to where Talia sat beside him on the couch and whispered in her ear.

"What do you suppose they're talking about"? He asked innocently.

"It's like I told you" Talia said keeping her eyes on Max and Logan.

"Max doesn't trust me so she'll try to keep me in the dark as long as possible. I'm afraid she probably doesn't trust you too much either now. She thinks I'm trying to turn you against her"

Alec turned his head to replace the position of Talia's lips from where it was at his ear, to his lips.

"Are you"? He asked with a seductive smile.

"That's not funny" Talia answered as though pained.

Otto gagged.

Just then Max and Logan broke conversation.

"Ok listen up" she said to Otto as she made her way back into the centre of the lounge.

She covered the ground between her and Otto and leaned into him, gently placing a hang on each of the chair arms.

"Now" she said softly.

"You either tell me what I wanna know, or I let one of them get it out of you" She nodded to where Alec and Talia sat eagerly awaiting directions on the couch.

Otto's eyes followed her gaze.

He recognised Alec as 494 and Talia as his abductor.

"That's a good enough look"

Max grabbed Otto's face and pulled it back roughly to face her.

"Manticore only got 9 years to work it's magic on me. Those two got double that. You think transgenics are heartless cold-blooded killers? Refuse to cooperate and I promise you…. you _will find out!"_

* * *

 After Max's flawless performance at playing 'bad cop' Otto became as docile as a bunny and cooperated in full. He answered all questions Max had concerning the locations of the captured transgenics and even spilled the beans of the agencies future plans for them. He didn't, however, know anything whatsoever about White and the Familiar's breeding cult. Max could tell this straight away and so she didn't feel the need to inform him as to what his boss White really was.

The time was now 1:05am on a Tuesday morning, and after spending an hour interrogating Otto, the group was in discussion deciding the course of action they would take against White. So far, the plan was to hit White where he'd least expect it. A place (where oddly enough) they hadn't attempted before. His home.

According to Otto, ever since White's wife Wendy 'left him', taking with her their son Ray, White had moved out of their old home and into an expensive new condo, located near the harbour on the outskirts of town.

To find the full extent of the Familiars and find out just what exactly it was that they were dealing with, the group decided they would travel to White's new pad and providing he wasn't home, break in and plant the bugs_. _However, in the event that he _was _home, they would take Otto to create a diversion. Of course, Max had opted to be the one to break in and of course, Logan had been dead set against it and _this_ time, he hadn't been alone.

"I'll go, I'm the only one out of all of us, he hasn't seen yet," Talia had offered.

Max, still not entirely trusting Talia to get the job done proper, had been more than reluctant to allow this to happen. But after Logan had agreed and in the avoidance of another fight, she thought it best to let it go.


	12. One of us

By 2am all arguments had ceased and they were all on their way to White's.

Logan drove his car with Alec and Talia as passengers. Otto, bound and gagged and hidden on the floor of the backseat went with them and Max rode on her Ninja behind them. The plan that they'd finally formulate was rather ingenious. Logan, Alec and Talia would park just outside Whites place while Max would leave her Ninja a block away. Then she would meet up with the rest of them and together they would proceed to break into White's car and lay Otto in the back seat. Talia and Alec would go round the back of the house where they'd keep an eye out for White.

When the time was right, Max and Logan would set off White's car alarm, thus creating just the diversion that would be needed for Talia to slip inside White's window and plant the bugs. Max and Logan would then leave in his car, and after the bugs had been correctly and effectively placed among White's things, so would Alec and Talia leave, on Max's Ninja.

One thing about this plan obviously had Alec a little worried, and as they pulled into White's street he made sure to voice it.

"So when we get to Max's Ninja I'm driving us back right"?

"Alec…" thinking his question nothing more than nervous banter, Talia was about to tell him to sharpen up his act, however, seeing the seriousness in his face made her chuckle. He looked utterly calm and perplexed, like this type of mission was an everyday occurrence, and could afford to be taken lightly. Talia's uneasiness fell away. 

"If it's gonna cause irreparable damage to your obviously fragile male ego to have _me_ drive us home… then _yes, _you most certainly can drive us home"

Alec was baffled. Max never let him drive. She loved treating him like a weak little nothing which most of the time resulted in him viewing her as more of a mother figure than an equal. This was gonna be fun indeed. 

Overhearing their conversation, Logan killed the engine and turned to look at them. From the sullen look he wore, Alec had a feeling their fun had come to an end. He was right.

"Now listen" Logan began

"Nothing about this mission will be funny I promise you that! If either of you escape with your lives you'll be lucky. It's a very dangerous thing we're doing here and if even the slightest mistake is made it will surely result in death."

"Dangerous thing _we're_ doing?" Talia mused

"I don't see _you_ removing yourself from the vicinity of your car!" 

Logan clenched his jaw and cast a fiery look her way. As if his expression alone would win this war of words that he and Talia seemed always to be fighting

"White's a very dangerous man, we can't afford to make mistakes here, the first sign of the milk turning sour and both of you are outta there understood?" He finished through clenched teeth.

"Got that" Alec said and hoped out of the car in the hope of escaping the firing line.

"Now that we're both outta ear shot, would you mind telling me exactly what is it that you seem to have against me"? Logan asked coyly.

"Well where should I start? Oh I know, how about the way you twist Max's mind on decisions which don't concern or effect you in any way?" She said plainly, as though she was discussing something as insignificant as ice cream flavours.

"You think that's what I do"?

"I think your personal relationship with Max shroud's her judgment and will one day probably get someone killed. Though of course it won't be you because _you_ never leave the safety of your computer seat or your car!"

Though Talia's words stung like a bee, Logan couldn't say he hadn't harboured such thoughts himself. He'd even been told numerous times that he would one day get Max killed. But back then he'd chosen to ignore Zack along with all his petty insults, which seemed to work well enough. That was until Max _had_ been shot, but even then he'd managed to convince himself of his innocence in the matter. Though many times he'd thought of leaving her, of just vanishing into thin air and escaping to some remote corner of the earth away from Max and his life as eyes only, Logan knew he couldn't and he hated himself for being so weak. But he loved her, and she loved him…if only that was enough. If only Love alone could keep her alive.

It would be easy to become lost in thoughts like these, and now Logan fought hard the temptation to become a stone and just think everything through. He'd do that tonight while he lay in the dark alone at Joshua's, but right now he had to deal with Talia, someone obviously had to teach this girl a lesson.

"What Max and I do is our business, I'm not going to just sit here and listen to these insane ramblings. You've only known Max a week, and me even less than that! How you've managed to draw such colourful pictures of our characters eludes me." 

Logan was pleased with himself, he was sounding very mature and judging from Talia's quietness she must be taking what he was saying seriously. 

_'Maybe after this little spat the air between us will clear. Who knows? We may even become friends. If I could become friends with Zack then anything's possible'_ He thought as he chose his next words carefully.

"And although it doesn't surprise me that you think this way of me…" he thought back to all the ill looks she had given him at Joshua's, and then back to their first meeting over the computer link. 

"Hopefully in time I'll be able to change your mind. After all, the rest of the transgenics have accepted what I do and me. And Max considers what I do to be of importance and me as a valuable asset. Not just as a boyfriend, but as one of her _own_, as one of the _team. _ We're fighting a hard battle here with the Familiar's, a battle that so far, we seem to be losing…"

Talia's attention snapped back to Logan. While he was babbling her thoughts had wandered. But now, after his use of the 'we' word again, a word she hated hearing him say, her attention and defensive reflexes clicked back on.

"We" She said raising her voice. If he hadn't gotten her point before, this time she would make if even clearer.

"You say that word as though you've earned it. Is that what you truly think Logan? That you've earned it? That you're one of us"?

Her blatancy baffled him.

"Were you made in a lab? Were you subjected to year after year of cruel hard training? Have you ever had to watch one of your brothers or sisters be shot because someone higher up than you didn't believe they were strong enough?"

Hearing her, Logan knew this was one battle he would not win. Talia was like an impenetrable fortress that'd never allow him to think of himself as anything less that a human. Inferior, a lesser species and nothing he did or said would ever convince her otherwise.

"You have no idea what we are and I've got a real problem with you referring to yourself as one of _us!" With that, she got out of the car and joined Alec on the street._

"What was all that about"? Alec asked Talia as soon as she had exited the car.

"Just a little dispute I had with Logan about something, it's got nothing to do with the mission so don't worry 'bout it" She smiled.

Unsatisfied with her answer and seeing that Max was approaching, Alec decided he'd ask Logan about it later, right now he had to focus on the task at hand. 

Logan was now alone in the car with Otto. But he was far from being at peace. Talia's words played over and over in his mind until they met with the memory of Zack's words and then the two voices would converge into one huge mess of warnings. But despite it all and against his better judgment, he decided that he wouldn't tell Max what Talia had said. He only wished that he could come up with a better reason in his head to support his decision, because at the moment, the only one he could think of was the truth.

_ 'You won't tell her because then she may realise what a mistake being with you is and leave''_

He'd just have to play his cards extremely close to his chest and pray that the warnings of both Talia and Zack didn't come true. Because he knew, that if something should happen to Max, it would surely be worse than last time, and probably more permanent.

Still plagued with his thoughts, Logan Cale stepped out of his car and joined the transgenics.

* * *

"Here take this" Max handed Talia a cell phone.

"Once you get to the back of the house you call me up, my number's set on speed dial 4" Talia nodded to show she understood and began studying her phone.

"Alec, you call up Logan's phone once you're in position"

"You both got that"? Max's tone had chance into her military style.

"Any questions?" She asked, but neither of them did.

"Ok, we all meet back at Logan's at 0300 hours, good luck" Max turned and began hauling Otto out of Logan's car.

"You'll be pleased to know the ordeal is over" Max handed Otto to Logan and placed a briefcase of tools down gently on the sidewalk. 

As Talia followed Alec across the street she looked back to see Max underneath White's Black Sedan. Disengaging the alarm system. So far things were going according to plan.


	13. Showers and Garden Knomes

As they approached the house Talia began to have doubts.

"Are you sure this is White's house"? She asked

"Yeah, why?" Alec returned. He was busy taking cover among the roses while still retaining an effective spying position.

"I dunno, I just guess that when I envisioned this evil transgenic killing familiar I neglected the possibility of him owning a rose garden. Which is well kept by the….Owww" 

In an instant Talia had tripped and fallen head first into the roses.

"Fuck" she swore under her breath.

In a flash Alec was there at her side, in his hand he held the offensive tripping device.

"Gnomes?" Talia sounded both disgusted and awed all at once.

"We must be at the wrong house" she persisted.

Alec chucked quietly and helped her to her feet.

"You've got a little…" his face transformed into a frown as his eyes focused on the cut on her left cheek.

As Talia reached up to inspect the damage Alec's hands wandered to her head and began sifting through her hair.

"What are you doing?" Talia said, feigning offence and playfully slapping him away. But at the sight of 3 loose thorns that he'd managed to loose from her hair she stopped.

"What a sight we must be. Two covertly breed X-5 soldiers hiding out in our enemies garden after one of us was just attacked by his Roses and gnomes." Talia laughed.

"If Manticore could see us now huh?" He smiled.

Talia could see that he wanted her; she could hear his breathing deepen as his temperature rose. Ever since they'd met she'd known his intentions. But what surprised her though, was that she, here in White's garden, among the smiling gnomes and prickly thorns, found herself wanting him too.

"Talia" Alec breathed into her ear. 

How close he was now, just an inch and he'd be hers.

For a split second her gaze was diverted to the patch of grass where the gnome now lay in town pieces.  Amidst the falling and Alec rescuing her she had failed to notice that she'd broken it. Now the broken gnome seemed to serve as an ill omen.

_'Everything you touch turns to dust'. _The sound of her subconscious brought her back to reality.The reality, which had spawned her. The reality, which would one day, take her. And the reality, which presented everyday people with the promise of a life which she, being a genetically enhances soldier, could never have. 

Talia softly pressed a hand to Alec's chest. She couldn't let this happen. Though she had only known Alec a short time she already felt herself caring for him. The worst thing for him would be to become involved with her. Everyone she loved ended up dead. Like Rav….

As the beating of his heart drummed against her palm, Talia gently began to push Alec away. And as she did, a light from inside White's house flicked off. It was now time to carry on with the plan.

* * *

"211 confirm your status" Max said into her cell. She had successfully disengaged White's car alarm system and moved Otto to White's backseat. Now, she and Logan were parked a block down ready to take off as soon as they were given the word that Talia and Alec were in position.

"This is 211, I'm in position, ready to go at your word" Talia's crackled voice replied. It sounded as though she was standing in the middle of a bush.

Logan took his cue from Max and raised his phone.

"494 confirm your status"  

"494, I'm in position"

"211, can you see the subject?" Max asked.

"Negative 452, request permission to change position" Came the voice.

"Permission gr…" Max began, but before she could get the words out she heard rustling. Talia was on the move.

"Hey'! Max snapped.

"Subject spotted, Max, I have him in my sights" 

"Are you able to get inside"? 

"Affirmative, but…wait…"

"Talia what is it"? Max said, but there was no reply.

"Subject's on the move, repeat subject is on the move, permission to pursue to next window," She requested.

"Granted" Max replied.

Talia emerged from her hiding place and followed White's movements. She passed from window to window just in time to see his back as he moved from room to room. Finally he ascended the stairs and was gone from Talia's sight.

Talia knew she had ought to report this to Max but decided against it. What good would that do? Max would probably just tell her to head back and call the whole mission off. So instead, Talia dashed three windows back to where the laundry was and began shimmying up the drainpipe. 

The window above was slightly ajar, and from the gap it spilled steam. White was getting reading to take a shower.

Though the steam clouded around 75% of her vision, Talia could just make out the shadowy silhouette of a man as he stepped into the source of the steam.

Once he was inside, Talia deemed it safe to re-establish contact with the ground force team – Max and Logan. Since she had had to hang up to jam the phone into her back pocket as she climbed, she now redialled using speed dial #4 and awaited a reply. She didn't have to wait long.

"452" Max sounded relieved.

"211 here, sorry I hung up."

"What's the status of your mission 211"?

"Well, I'm about 20 feet up clutching onto a drain pipe"

_'Oh god, please let her be joking' _Max prayed silently.

"I guess we never thought about what would happen should the subject decide to venture upstairs to his bathroom and take a shower" 

"White's in the shower right now?" Max asked, not believing her luck. If her and Logan set off the car alarm now, It could take White ages to get out of the house, giving Talia extra time to slip inside undetected. However, if white got outside dripping he'd be in a hurry to get back inside, and that, mixed with the anger he's gonna feel once he finds Otto, wouldn't do well if either Talia or Alec were caught. Unfortunately, that was just a risk they'd have to take.

"211 get ready, we're setting the alarm off in 10 seconds"

In the background, Talia could hear Logan ramble the same thing off to Alec. By now, he had probably already told Max about his little run it with her. Oh how she despised the man.

"8…7…6…" Talia could hear Max and Logan quietly counting into their phones.

_"5…4…3…2…" _She counted silently in her head.

At the count of 1 everything seemed to happen at once. And it seemed as though time itself had speed up. From where she clung Talia swore she could hear the click as Max flicked the switch, which tipped the alarm. The screaming of the alarm itself followed this. It wailed like a Ban-She in labour. Then came the screech of tires as Max and Logan made their getaway. Next, the water stopped and the steam dissipated. A slam of the shower door came next showing that Talia wasn't the only one who had heard the alarm. From where she clung, Talia dared not sneak a look and for the first time in a long time she felt truly afraid. She pressed her cheek against the wall so hard her jaw hurt. 

But she didn't have long to hide, because in seconds footfalls sounded on the staircase and Talia knew it was her time to go.  She slid her hands under the window and using only the muscles in her thighs to keep her up, lifted the glass.


	14. Monster

From the second she had tumbled onto White's wet bathroom floor, Talia had had the feeling that time was not on her side. So she decided the best thing to would be to waste none of it. In a flash she was out in the hall and making a run for the end room. But after opening the door she realised her mistake, the room was empty, it couldn't be Whites. Reeling back she tried the next one. BINGO! She had found it. Quickly, she got to work. Throwing open cupboard doors and bugging suit collars and shoe heels. Half the job was already done.

 She rummaged through bedside drawers till she came across his cell phone. Then unclipped the bug packs from her waist and spilled its contents onto the plush carpet. As soon as she located what she was after she took up the strange looking device and plugged it neatly into the bottom of the mobile. A screen lit up on the device and a series of numbers flew across its blue-lit screen. They read like a battery charging up and started at 10% of 100% copied.

 It was the extracting device Logan had given her back at Joshua's. With this, they would have every number stored into White's cell phone at their disposal.

As it reached 65% of 100% copied, Talia heard the front Oak door of White's house open.

_'Come on… come on' _she begged the device to hurry up.

72%…. 79%…84%…

_'Come on…'_

* * *

"Did you get a good look at it?"! White shouted at Otto.

"No" He replied

"They held you hostage for 4 hours Otto! That's 4 hours to inspect your surroundings and you mean to tell me you got nothing!" White could not believe the insolence of this man

"Sir, it was like I said" Otto wheezed, by the sounds of it, he was in a lot of pain.

"They took me into the house blindfolded, I was blindfolded when we left. All I saw was the inside of a run down house on ground floor."

"Yeah well unfortunately that describes over half the houses in this fucken city" White went to slam his fist into the wall but thought better of it. If his superhuman strength were revealed to Otto then he'd have to kill him. And that would be unfortunate. Though Otto was an inferior human, the man did have a passion for killing transgenics, which pleased White.

* * *

Upstairs, Talia's extracting device seemed to be slow down immensely as it reached the final 5% of completion. Downstairs, the conversation had quieted down a fraction and changed to Otto's injuries. It seemed that White was offering to take him up to the hospital but Otto was refusing and saying he'd be alright but he needed to lie down. Then White had offered to let Otto stay the night so he could have an interpretational artist come over early in the morning to draw up a sketch of the unknown transgenic girl who was now apart of Max's freak team.

At the mention of her, Talia's heart skipped a beat. 

_'They won't need a picture of me if I get caught'_

_'Why won't this damn thing go?'_ she thrust the device into the carpet and it went up 2%. Surprised, Talia tried it again. First repeating the first action, before settling for gentle shakes. But it was to no avail. The thing simply wouldn't go. 

_'Damn thing wants me to get caught'_

"There's cold beer in the fridge, make yourself feel at home. I'll throw on a shirt and then get your room ready" She heard White telling Otto.

_'Oh no, he's coming upstairs. HE'S GOING TO FIND ME!!!' _Warning signs flashed through Talia's mind and in a hurry she unclipped the extracting device and threw the phone back in the drawer. 

_'97% would just have to do'_ She made her way over to the window and slipped her knife under the wood, all the time keeping one eye trained on the hallway for White. Try as she might, the window wouldn't budge. Outside she could see Alec hiding in the bushes and she tried to signal to him. Of course it was useless because he wasn't looking. Just then, a shadow passed just outside the room and Talia, knowing that she couldn't escape, ducked into the closet.

White entered the room and went straight for his drawers. Otto was staying the night, though he trusted the guy, White knew he he'd have to be extra careful with himself tonight and be sure to close guard his secret. That meant tying up all loose ends. And speaking of loose ends, there was a huge one just waiting for him down the hall. That's why he now had to find that key, so he could lock the door to the room. But where was it? He was sure he'd put it in here somewhere…

"A huh, found you" he said to himself and snatched up the key.

From the cupboard Talia could see him leave. She let out a breath.

_'I gotta get outta here before he comes back' _She eased her way out of the cupboard.  

White leaned over the banister to make sure Otto was out of sight before he headed to the room. Recently it had become his little office, the only place in the house that really relaxed him. He'd even slept there on more than one occasion. 

He flicked the lights.

He'd initially set the room up for Ray when he came home. But lately it had served another purpose.

All over the wallpaper he had plastered pictures and pictures of Max and her freaky little friends. Some were photos he'd even taken himself. Files were scattered all over the floor. Documents and documents. All of them on transgenics. Pictures of Max's entire Manticore group. All 12 escapees. He'd even had them analysed and reproduced as pictures of what the kids may look like today. He was a sick man. And he loved it.

White smiled at the sight of his work.

Leaving the room, he turned off the lights and locked the door. 

* * *

Before she had a chance to formulate an escape White returned. This time he placed the key in a safe compartment within a book. 

He still wore only a robe and it seemed that for the first time tonight he himself noticed it. He began opening drawers and rummaging through clothes. He finally withdrew a grey t-shirt and a pair of training pants. From the crack in the cupboard door Talia watched his every move. But still she had yet to see his face. Placing the clothes neatly on the bed he moved out of Talia's view. 

Disturbed by the fact that she could no longer track her enemy's whereabouts a feeling of panic took hold of her, and for a second she indulged in the fantasy of making a run for it. 

She could move fast, she'd make it…maybe…. probably not. But at least if she did get caught her fate would be sealed. Anything had to be better than being stuck in a closet fearing every possibility. 

On the other side of the room stood a full-length mirror. If she leaned her head just a fraction to the left maybe she'd be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of what White was doing in it. It wouldn't be much but it'd sure put her mind at ease if she could see him. As she leaned her head, White stepped back into view. This time however, he wasn't wearing the robe.  

* * *

 A quick intake of breath was all Talia could manage. The sight of him was devastating, but not in the way one would expect if ever they came to see their archenemy in the bare flesh! Everything Max had said about him must be a lie, surely this man wasn't the monster he was reputed to be?  Talia thought.

_'We're all ugly in our own way T, some people just wear their ugliness on the inside' _

Tolka had told her that once, how true it had turned out to be in his case. 

After realising her lungs felt as though they would burst, Talia let out a breath. Her face flushed and she felt her whole body begin to heat up.

Oblivious to what was going on in the closet, White continued to clean his gun. The fact that Max had come to his house greatly disturbed him. He took out five bullets from a box he had tucked under his arm and carefully loaded the revolver. _Spin…. click. _Loaded. He tossed the gun on the bed and took a moment to admire his naked self. He rubbed a hand over his biceps and flexed. Then he ran a hand through his still wet hair and cleared his throat. Time to get dressed.

* * *

Between all the flexing and rubbing, all thoughts of escape had somehow fallen away. Replaced instead, by thoughts of _being_ captured. Of White finding her here in his closet and punishing her in ways which would make her sorry for being such a bad_ bad _girl.

And then, just like that, he was gone. So were his clothes and the gun. But still the fantasy remained.


	15. Caught

Outside, Alec was getting anxious. An hour had passed and still no word from Talia. Max had called him 4 times already, all times telling him to be patient and not to leave. What the hell was going on in there? Was Talia ok?

He should have gone in there instead, why had he been so weak? If anything happened to her it was his fault. 

He desperately wanted to call her but knew he couldn't. If White heard the ring tone, Talia would be history.

No, he'd just have to do what Max said and wait it out. At least for a little longer.

* * *__

_Ring ring….ring ring…_ Alecs phone called to him at last, and brought him awkwardly out of his daze. At first he almost didn't believe it, he had wanted it to ring so much that when it finally did, he was sure it was just his mind playing tricks on him.

"Hello"? He spoke into the mouthpiece and prayed that it wasn't just Max ready to dish out more orders.

"Alec" 

The voice whispered, and Alec could tell that whoever it was, they were frightened and yet…almost exhilarated.

"Talia?" He asked.

"Alec, I'm ok, but I'm kinda trapped here…Anyway, it's too dangerous for you to be waiting around outside for me so…you should take off"

Alec couldn't believe it. He had been crouching in the garden for hours now. A quick glance at his watch told him that the time was now nearing 4am.

"Talia what's going on in there? Are you sure you're safe?" He said anxiously, not wanting to leave but willing to do whatever she thought was best.

Talia, decided to lie to Alec, she just wanted him out of danger and fast. The conversation downstairs had died down completely; she thought that maybe Otto had even gone to bed. White would do the same any second now, and since he was already dressed for bed, he wouldn't be needing anything from his closet anytime soon.

Another flush crept into her cheeks as she remembered beholding White, naked.

"Talia, what's happening?" Alec said again.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm well hidden don't worry. I'll meet up with you at Terminal city ok"

Alec began to protest but Talia cut him off.

* * *

As another 2 hours slipped by, White had eventually returned to his room and fallen asleep. Talia was still in hiding and found White's even breathing, strangely comforting. She no longer felt like a person awaiting their impending doom, but more like woman, contently watching her lover as he slept.

The colour of night had faded, and eased into an eerie shade of blue. It was now time to depart. If only she could have been sure that he would not awake, Talia may have even kissed White's brow as she left. Well probably not, however, the thought certainly did play on her mind.

She weaved her way through the seemingly endless supply of White's black suits that was his wardrobe, and widened the crack between the two doors till she was sure it would accommodate her. The she silently left the room. Talia may have had exquisite hearing, but even she didn't hear White's eye lids, as they shot open. He had known that someone had been in his house, and he had been waiting for him or her to make a move to escape. With the speed and grace that comes only from being a viciously trained killer, White removed himself from his bed and followed down the hall.

* * *

Feeling like a criminal once more, Talia, deciding to play into the look, rolled down her balaclava, which she had rolled up into a hat, and adjusted the eye holes. When that was done, she made her way downstairs.

She rounded the corner, and was about to head on to the back door, when she spotted another phone.

Since she had spent so much time in the closet, she hadn't been able to plant the last two bugs. Now was her chance!

She lifted the phone and was about to reach into her bag when something struck her hard in the back.

Before she could do anything about it, her assailant grabbed her by her clothes, and with the forced of an automobile, threw her hard against the wall.

"Game over 452, and guess what? Looks like I win…and this time, _you_ _will_ _die _like a good little soldier" White finished, and a smile spread itself across his lips. This was it! The moment he had been waiting for!

Otto entered the hall, his gun raised, to hold White's back.

"Sir, I have you covered," He said

But White wasn't listening. He couldn't believe his luck, he had Max and he hadn't even had to put in any effort whatsoever! 452 had slipped up and now it was her time to…

"What a minute" He exclaimed, noticing a tuft of red hair, erupt like lava from under the balaclava and fall around the girls neck.

White was stuck dumb, what if he was wrong. Not just about this girl not being Max, but what if she wasn't a transgenic at all?

What if she was nothing more than just another one of the lowly street kid scum, that made up most of this run down city's population?

He couldn't let Otto see him kill an innocent, at least, not yet.

He shifted his grip and gently began to turn the intruder around.

"Otto, not until I give the word" He said condescendingly.

"Now, let's see who you are…" 

White reached up and took a fold of material between his fingers, and pulled lightly. More red hair spilled from beneath and White pulled on it, just incase it was a wig, and this really _was_ Max.

Talia's air passage had shrunk due to the tension of the situation. She was trying to take in deep breaths and to calm her hammering heartbeat. White was still turning her around, and now there was nothing stopping him from seeing her face. She couldn't let that happen! She wouldn't! 

She flung herself around to White and did the only thing she could think of to protect her identity.

She grabbed the sides of his face between her strong hands, and kissed him roughly on the mouth.

The kiss, though dispassionate and irate, was neither uncomfortable nor unpleasant for either party. There may not have been 'love' or anything like, but there certainly was something. Some type of, pent up electric heat, that burned from mouth to mouth and surged its way to the center of their very beings.

When she was sure that she had given him enough to leave him stupefied, Talia threw white hard to the floor and before Otto could let out a round, kicked the phone table into his face. Wood splintered everywhere, as Otto, in fright, let off a single bullet at the table before it made contact with him.

Talia used this opportunity to make a run for the front door, and after kicking it out, tore off down the street, to the safety of Max's ninja.

* * *

Back inside, White could hear the Ninja as it speed away. He breathed heavily and wiped the corner of his lip, where in her haste, Talia had caught him on the side of her tooth. He tasted the blood and found it deliciously warm, with an iron essence that he savoured. 

Beside him, Otto was getting up and brushing off the wooden splinters from his borrowed clothes. He was oddly silent, and instead, kept looking over to White.

"Let's get this place cleaned up," White said, quickly tiring of Otto's questioning stares.

There was now no doubt about it; the girl had definitely been transgenic.

As White got up off the floor, and began gathering splinters of wood in his hands, he noticed something lying on the floor, not 4 feet away. Checking to make sure that Otto wasn't watching, he walked over to the fallen object and picked it up.

He recognised it instantly. It was an old photo of him and Wendy, on their wedding day. Even though he had never really loved Wendy, seeing a picture of her again left a strange imprint on White's soul. He thought back to happier times. Times when he had _been_ that strong, proud man in the picture, and when the world had seemed to be at his beck and call. Times when he had had a _fa_mily, a _son_…a _wife_…Familiar, he may be, but he was still a man. And the urges that Talia's kiss had awoken within him were stronger than any he had felt before. As he dropped the photo to the ground, and watched as the speckles of glass, scattered like hail on a stormy night, White realised that he was changing, that he _had_ changed. A powerful lusting was coursing through his body, replicating and growing like a tumour, and with every new cell it overtook, the will to deny it began to dissolve.

He now had a new plan. Oh, he would still devote his attentions to finding Max and his son, but now…his attentions would be shared with finding that girl and maybe with her help, he could be the man he once was.

_AN: Exciting huh? Thought I should just mention, that that last scene was what started this whole crazy story. When I began, I just had this image in my head of what White would do, if he caught a transgenic girl in his house, and upon capturing her, she kissed him. Lol_


End file.
